The exhibit, on loan from the Museum of Leonardo DaVinci in Florence, features more than sixty handcrafted replicas of the Renaissance artist's creations, including "The DaVinci Mechanical Lion," a gift to the King of France that's making its first appearance in North America, and a near-life-sized replica of "The Last Supper" on display for the first time anywhere.

"We are so thrilled to have our exhibition at the Denver Pavilions," says Ali Rodgers, museum curator. "So far, everyone has been embracing our exhibit, and out of every state, Colorado has shown the most interest."

The exhibit is divided into four sections: war machines, flying machines, nautical and hydraulic machines, and mechanics. You can operate many of the replicas of the 500-year-old inventions, which are accompanied by notes and illustrated panels. The machines range from DaVinci's robot drummer to his "bicycle" and "hang glider" to the "air screw," an early helicopter model.

"Denver has always been our top city choice to host the exhibition," says Olya Alexeyeva, the show's assistant manager. "It feels like the exhibition was meant to come here."

The show, which opened March 31, will be on display through September 3. It's open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 6 on Sunday. Admission for children under five is free, children five to ten $9, students and seniors $11, and adults $14; a family pack (up to five people) is $40. To find out more -- including parking information for the Pavilions -- visit the exhibit website.